Environmental Ethics with Ethics Content?

Institute of Chartered Foresters 7 A St Colme Street Edinburgh EH3 6AA. Tel: 0131 225 2705 Fax: 0131 220

Saskatchewan (see Postcard from Canada page ID

Editor: Colin Mann BSc(For), MlCFor

Issue No.1/95

Photograph: Peter Wilson

ICF N EWS 1/95 and increase the public regard for his profession.

Clearly disclose on whose behalf he is giving opinions or making statements if he gives such opinions or makes such statements in public on forestry matters of public interest.

Base any expressions or professional opinion on adequate knowledge and honest conviction.

Sign or seal only those plans, reports, maps and specification actually made by him or under his personal direction and supervision.

Act as a faithful agent or trustee for each employer and not disclose any information obtained by him concerning the business affairs, technical methods or processes of an employer that is of a confidential nature.

Present clearly to his employers the consequences to be expected from any significant deviations in the work he has proposed, should his professional forestry judgement be over ruled by nontechnical authority.

Not accept compensation for a particular service from more than one person without the full knowledge of all interested parties.

Conduct himself with courtesy and good faith towards other professional foresters.

Only undertake to review as an outside investigator the work of another professional forester with the knowledge of

I would suggest to Council and PAC that a wider debate is needed on the Code of Ethics and that all regional groups should debate this issue and communicate their thoughts to Council.

As food for thought I hope you have the grace to print the Code of Ethics of the Ontario Professional Foresters Association.

The following land code ethic, which was incorporated into the British Columbia Professional Foresters Code of Ethics in 1983, 'The member will, in all aspects of his work, regard as his first responsibility, the maintenance of the integrity of the production capacity of the resource; its perpetuation and the improvement of its utility and value to society', is worth discussing.

The Code of Ethics is one of the factors that makes us a Chartered Professional.

Institute rather than a Forestry Club. I hope that members will spend time, as part of 'D, considering this.

T. C. Booth FICFor

Ontario Professional Foresters Association Code Of Ethics A Registered Professional Forester shall: Practice his profession with fairness and loyalty, using his knowledge and skill for the benefit of the public, his profession, his clients, employers, subordinates and employees.

Endeavour to promote public knowledge of forestry practice and policy

that forester, unless the connection of that forester with the work has been terminated.

Not maliciously injure the reputation or business of another professional forester.

Not pay a commission in securing professional work, nor accept one in providing professional work to others, except where genuine service is performed in so doing.

Advertise his services in a dignified manner, avoiding statements that may mislead his clients with regard to his particular experience of competence in specialised fields of forestry.

Always scrupulously give credit where credit is due.

Maintain the honour and integrity of his profession.

Undertake only such work as he his competent to perform by virtue of his training and experience, and shall, where advisable, retain and co-operate with other professional foresters and specialists.

Sir. ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS

ETHICS WITH CONTENT?

I was somewhat troubled by the article on 'Codes of Ethics' {ICF Focus 4/94, p.19) by the comments about 'sustainability' and by the ethical 'neutrality' and ambiguity of the proposed amendment to Clause 1 (of General Regulation 28).

I am sure there are many among your

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ICF N EWS 1/95 readership who would be interested to know' why both Council and the Professional Affairs Committee (PAC), while considering environmental ethics, found the word 'sustainability' to be inappropriate. Seemingly we are suggesting that foresters do not have to adopt any environmental ethics at all as long as they 'strive for an increasing knowledge of forestry and its interaction with ... the natural environment'? Are we mouthing the rhetoric of environmental ethics while adopting the praxis of non-sustainability?

That is the impression given.

It would be helpful to know how Council and PAC define ethics? Webster's Electronic Thesaurus (Merriam-Webster 1987) defines ethics as 'a group of moral principles or set of values' or 'the complex ideals, beliefs, or standards that characterizes or pervades a group, community, or people'. If we try to apply Webster's definition to Clause 1 there is either a very weak ethical content or none at all. It is very 'heroic' to talk of 'striving for an increasing knowledge of forestry and its interaction with ... the natural environment' but it lacks any ethical content or accountability. Please let us not fudge issues: we need environmental ethics with ethical content.

J.F. Studley Southwest Institute for Nationalities, China

The President Replies I sympathise with the points raised in the above letter and hope that we are now going to see a wide debate on our Code of Ethics. To explain our current position, a number of us have been aware of developments elsewhere, notably North America, to add to existing ethics some form of 'green' ethics. It seems to me that increasingly foresters' codes of ethics have to include a stated commitment to the wellbeing and continuity of the forest. If our own ethics are read carefully and in their entirety they are remarkably comprehensive.

The responsibility of professional foresters to their profession, to their employers and to the public is well spelled out. Responsibility to the 'forest' is implied but not detailed. It was this aspect that PAC and your Council sought to tighten up, and naturally the word 'sustainable' was central to our discussion.

We did not resort to Webster's (very American) definition of ethics but rather Chamber's, which includes the phrases 'rules of behaviour... professional standards of conduct'. These 'rules' and 'standards' are the basis on which a member, or a member of the general public, can lodge a complaint against a Chartered Forester. In turn, they can be cited in a court of law in defining what can be expected of a

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Chartered Forester. For this reason the Code has to be carefully worded and there should be no ambiguity that would allow for mischievous complaints.

Unfortunately, 'sustainability', 'sustainable development', 'ecosystem management', and many of the other modern expressions still have a range of meanings. It is this fear, and this fear alone, that led your Council down a very cautious, if rather disappointingly boring, path. As the post-Rio process continues it is to be hoped that firmer definitions will emerge that will enable our Code to be developed further. We probably need to go down this route some time but it seemed to the Council that the moment was not yet right.

Views of the members on this contentious issue would be most welcome, whether at the AGM or in the pages of ICF News.

Professor Hugh G. Miller, President Sir, THE BRITISH FORESTER OVERSEAS I welcome the personal views of David Danbury (ICF Focus 4/94 p.7) and urge Council to consider his suggestions. I have worked overseas, with three breaks for further study, continuously since 1979.

From my perspective I do feel that ICF has a rather parochial ethos and a very narrow forestry focus (Section 2 of the Charter). In spite of this, I joined as an associate member because I needed a professional 'home base', and if I do ever return I need some locally recognised bona fides. British foresters overseas are involved in a very broad range of forestry activities (community and social forestry, rural development forestry, soil and water conservation, biodiversity, indigenous knowledge, agroforestry, multidisciplinary projects, research, etc.), and currently there is no professional body to represent their interests adequately.

If ICF seeks global recognition (Section 3(m) of the Charter) and aspires to attract overseas British foresters there is a need to examine ways to incorporate them into its membership and to represent their interests more fully.

I would suggest that: (a) David Danbury's suggestions for overseas British foresters be considered i.e. (i) more secure career path and job security (ii) greater institutional recognition (iii) the establishment of a 'natural home' (iv) ICF seeks ways to be more relevant (v) a revision of the examination procedures and exemptions (vi) steps to be taken to ensure that foresters are not sidelined to a narrow technical role, (b) The ICF Laws be updated to accommodate British foresters overseas.

(c) A survey be sent to all British foresters who work part/full time overseas inviting them to suggest ways in which ICF could more fully represent them.

J. F. Studley Southwest Institute for Nationalities, China

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